Chapter Three

Adaline Point of View

I freeze, looking at her and say "That's not possible, we did it together."

"You are losing your touch, Adaline." She smirks, and I get up.

"Do not try me." I seeth, and the three of them get up.

"They said to tell you that you shouldn't bother." Selena says.

"Do not bother hiding who you are, you are a Flower, the wife to a Lycan, you are the most powerful witch in the world, and the longer you hide from it, the heavier the burden will get."

"The burden is heavy." Blu says,

"It will only get heavier the longer you lie to yourself. Embrace who you are, Lily is right, some times."

"Oh fuck them." Lily says with a smile, but there's a ringing in my ear.

"Zoe is fine?" Alexandru asks, and they nod, and I glare, Zoe is not fine, she is dead. I look at Zayd, holding Alina, and wonder how he could move on when I am stuck.

"Adaline."

It is five years ago, and I am breaking on the floor because my best girl is gone. Zoe is dead, and I killed her. I have been atoning for five years, and it's not enough.

Zoe is --

"Adaline."

dead, she is dead.

adaline.

"ADALINE."

I look at my husband, does he feel the rip in my soul, how fractured it is. I feel him take me in his arm, and the next second we are home, the perks of being a Lycan.

___

adaline.

adaline.

adaline.

listen to me. stop hiding.

adali --

I wake up, gasping for air.

"Breathe, my love." Alexandru says, holding my hand.

"Hey." I say, looking at him through tear filled eyes.

"Oh baby." He says, and holds me as I cry.

"It's been five years, and I can't move on, Alex." I sob, and he lets me.

It might have been an hour or more, all I know is he let me cry, and now, we are seated at the Kitchen, with me drinking a hot tea he made.

"Why won't you practise magic, Addie?" He says softly, and I look at him, then drop the cup.

"You said it, magic has not done me any good. Don't speak, let me talk. This magic, this abilities, this being a Flower is too much for me to bear, it's a heavy burden, and I didn't know what to do with, then Zoe died."

"Now," I say, wiping away my tears.

"I still don't know what to do with this much power, and I do not want anyone to die, what if it's Mom, or you, I will not be able to live with myself, Alex."

He lets me cry and says "Cyprus killed Zoe, not you. I know it is heavy, but you don't have to carry it alone just cause you carry it so well. It is not just yours, I am here, Addie. I will help you carry everything, just as you have helped me all my life. I love you, and will love you even after I am dead, do not doubt that."

"I am so sorry you feel this way, Zayd feels equally as broken, so do I, we all do. Zoe was one of us, and was taken from you, all we can do is honour her memory, which is what we'll do till we die. Also, if the Good Ancestors are saying something, you better listen, homie." He says, and burst int laughter.

He has always referred to them as the Good Ancestors, and I don't blame him.

"Zoe is going to be an handful," I say, and he nods.

"She is going to show us pepper." He says, and I laugh.

"We will protect her, protect her brother, with everything." I say.

"We could protect their sister too." He says, placing the cup in the sink, making my eyes widen.

"Stop playing." I say, smiling.

I have thought about a third child, and a fourth one, I will like to even the odds, but Zoe is just five, and Noah is three, they are still young and I don't know if I am ready for more children, I love my children, but I have been married for five years, and pregnant for half.

"I want another child." He says, looking at me, and I feel hot all over, the good kind of hot, one that will get me in trouble.

"Why didn't you tell me about Zoe's hair?"

I blink at the change in conversation, but answer "I didn't want you to freak out."

He looks at me, then nods, and say "I have been trying to get you pregnant."

I laugh and say "I know."

"I want a baby, baby." He says, and I stifle a laughter, because he looks serious. Biting my lips, I wonder what it'll feel like, to have four children, a full household, it will be amazing, the best, and I can hardly wait.

"Two." I say, and his eyes bulge.

"Lydia and Oliver looks so cute, I want twins, Zoe and Noah will be so happy." I say, and he laughs.

"Yes, twins. Let's start trying." He carries me to the bedroom, and I laugh hard.

____

I glance at myself in the mirror, and smile. I am wearing a black and blue dress, and some nice shoes. For five years, I was a Professor at New Orleans University, and last year I was made Dean, it is amazing how far I have come.

I walk to my office, only to realize that I forget my keys. With a wave of my hand, the door opens, I am embracing my magic, there's no reason to run from it anymore.

There's a knock on my door, so I say "It's opened."

"You wanted to see me, Mrs Vulkov." Alina walks in, and I nod. At work, she addresses me formally, despite the fact that I am married to her brother.

"Yes, sit, Alina, please." I gesture to the seat, and she does.

"I am sorry about last week, my outburst." I say, blushing in embarassment.

"You mean the part where you insinuiated that my boyfriend has forgotten Zoe, how could he do that?" She says with a straight face, and I nod, wincing.

"I am sorry, it's just that sometimes it feels too much." I say, and she nods.

"I miss Zoe too, she was the best of us." She says, her eyes glazing, matching mine.

She gets up and say "I have a class to take."

"So do I." I nod.

"By the way, little Zoe's hair is banging." She looks back and I laugh, then pack up my books.

_____

"Today, we will talk about Media Psychology." I say, staring at the fourth year student.

"This is a very novel term, as a lot of people are not quite acquitted with Media Psychology, but as Psychology students, you should have an idea, I hope. Someone, anyone, tell me what Media Psychology is."

No one says anything till someone speaks, a new student, imagine that.

"Media Psychology is about power." She says, and I frown.

"Power?"

"Yes, Professor. The entire concept of Media Psychology posits that there's a correlation between Mass Media and Psychology, that the mass audience are influenced psychologically in every aspect of their life. In their patronage of Coca Cola, their preference of Taylpr Swift to Halsey, and the way they think, the way they see the world."

"Media Psychology basically explains how every aspect of a person's life is controlled, their perception of reality is shaped, by someone powerful, there's always someone more powerful, Professor."

I stare at her with a smile and say "What is your name?"

She looks at me, and says "Elodie Sabbatini Queen, Professor."

Elodie.